Behaviours not dependent on learning (reflex action, fixed pattern action and behaviours due to maturation)

Classical conditioning (Pavlov’s original experiments, conditioned stimulus, unconditioned stimulus, conditioned response, unconditioned response, process of acquisition, extinction, stimulus, generalisation, stimulus discrimination and spontaneous revovery)

Learning is a relatively permanent change in behaviour as a result of learning

- Can you think of any examples?

Most human behaviour are learned, but some are innate (inborn), these are:

- Reflex actions- Fixed pattern actions- Maturation

Kit Kat activity

Actions that are relatively simple and automatic and involuntary

They come directly from the NS

- eg) pulling hand away from hot stove, salivation, blinking

When different members of the same species produce an identical response to the same specific stimuli

These actions are genetically

programmed into the animal’s NS and appear to be unable to be changed

Nesting

Salmon migrate thousands of ks through ocean waters to spawn (reproduce) in the rivers in which they were born!

Birds flying south for the winter

Honey bees perform ritualistic behaviours to indicate the location of a source of food

Development related to physical growth, social, emotional and intellectual development

It occurs in a sequence and is largely predictable – determined by genes (+ a bit of environment)

- eg) learning to walk, learning socially acceptable behaviour, learning how to read

We learn in different ways and it differs for the individual and the situation

Reinforcement is a key to learning – it refers to any event that increases the chance that the response will occur again

A response is any identifiable behaviour

Conditioning is a form of learning that emphasises the relationship between a stimulus and a response

- What is a stimulus? Can you think of examples from your everyday lives where a stimulus evokes a certain response

Classical conditioning: also known as respondent conditioning where we learn by association

Operant conditioning: also known as instrumental conditioning where we learn by consequences

Observational learning: also known as modelling where we learn through observing

clockwork orange.mp4

pavlovs dogs.mp4

skinner box.mp4

C:\Program Files\Sniffy Demo For Windows\SniffyDemo.exe

We will discuss this in more depth later in the AOS

However a token economy is a form of behaviour modification where an individual receives a token (reinforcement) for appropriate behaviour and these tokens can be collected and exchanged for real rewards

Define the following terms in relation to Classical Conditioning (pg 284-289)

Conditioned stimulusStimulus generalisationStimulus discriminationExtinctionSpontaneous recovery

Respondent, Pavlovian or Associative Conditioning

Also known as respondent or Pavlovian conditioning

Conditioning that occurs through repeated association between two or more stimuli

There are several terms we use to describe the events in classical conditioning

Unconditioned stimulus (UCS) Unconditioned response (CR) Neural stimulus (NS) Conditioned stimulus (CS) Conditioned response (CR) Extinction Spontaneous recovery

Stimulus generalisation Stimulus discrimination

Before learning a neural stimulus (NS) will NOT evoke a response

After learning the neural stimulus becomes a conditioned stimulus (CS)

Is a stimulus that is naturally capable of creating a response

EG:- Food- A loud sound- Cold weather - A loud sound- A puff of air on your eye- A hot stove

Is a naturally occurring (innate) response to an unconditioned stimulus (UCS)

EG:- When you smell food you salivate(food is the UCS salivation is the UCR)

- When it is cold you shiver(cold is the UCS shivering is the UCR)

Is a stimulus that will evoke a response AFTER learning has taken place

EG:- In Pavlov’s experiment the bell becomes a CS

which triggers salivation (CR)

- You eat every time you go to the kitchen. Food is originally the UCS and feeling hungry is the UCR. In time the kitchen itself becomes the CS and feeling hungry becomes a CR

A response to a stimulus that has been learned

EG:- Salivating at the sound of the bell

becomes a CR- You get bitten by a spider in your bed

one night. The spider is the UCS, pain is the UCR, your bed becomes the CS and being scared of being bitten becomes the CR

Often the UCR will become the CR but NOT always

For example with the spider. Pain was the original UCR but then fear of pain becomes the CR

The period of time it takes for a response or behaviour to be learned

To acquire behaviour a CS must be reinforced during training

After conditioning has occurred, if the UCS is no longer followed by the CS, conditioning will gradually disappear

EG:- When Pavlov rang the bell (CS) but no

longer presented the food (UCS), the dog eventually stopped salivating (CR) after hearing the bell (UCS)

When the conditioned response (CR) reappears after a period of time following the conditioned stimulus (CS) spontaneous recovery has occurred

EG:- The next day the experimenter rings

the bell (CS) and the salivation occurs (CR) after it was thought to be extinct

After conditioning has occurred, other stimulus that appears to be the same (similar) to the conditioned stimulus (CS) may also trigger the conditioned response (CR)

EG:- Pavlov’s dog might salivate at the

sound of a phone ringing or a door bell

This happens when the person or animal responds ONLY to the conditioned stimulus (CS) and no other similar stimulus

EG:- Pavlov’s dog only salivates at the

sounds of the bell

With reference to taste aversion

One trial learning with reference to taste aversion

Classical conditioning where it only takes one pairing of a neural stimulus prior to unpleasant stimulus to create a lasting association between the two

Most often occurs with pain or food

Time lapse between NS and UCS could be hours – different to classical conditioning where it needs to be immediate

Sometimes called Garcia response (John Garcia first demonstrated this with animals in 1974) – pg 289 read its interesting

Type of one-trial learning

Association between stimuli (smell or taste) and unpleasant response (vomiting, nausea)

With reference to Thorndike’s experiments

Trial and error learning, including Thorndike’s puzzle-box experiment

Thorndike studied animal intelligence – he placed hungry cat in box with salmon outside box just out of reach and cat had to work out how to press a lever to open the door (puzzle box experiment)

Trial and error learning occurs when an organism eliminates responses that do not achieve desired goals and continue to explore environment until they discover the response that gains the desired reward

Instrumental or Skinnerian Conditioning

Operant conditioning, including Skinner’s original experiments (the Skinner box) and processes of acquisition, extinction, stimulus generalisation, stimulus discrimination and spontaneous recovery

Where we associate a response with a consequence

Behaviours or responses that are reinforced tend to be repeated (Thorndike called this the law of effect)

A response is followed by a reinforcer (food, praise, removal of unpleasant stimuli etc)

Most operant studies take place in a conditioning chamber (think back to the video on the Skinner box)

Hungry rat (or other animal) is placed in box and receives reinforcement (food) for behaviours such as grooming or pressing a lever (positive reinforcement)

Unpleasant stimuli such as an electric shock may also be removed after the response (negative reinforcement)

• Positive reinforcement

• Negative reinforcement

• Punishment

• Response cost

When a pleasant or desirable event follows a response (action/behaviour) and then chances of the response occurring again are increased

EG:- You get $5 for doing the dishes- You get verbal praise for working hard in

class- You get an A+ on an essay your worked

really hard on

Occurs when an unpleasant stimulus is removed or reduced, increasing the chances of the response occurring again

EG:- You have a headache and take a

panadol - Rat is given shock and shock is

removed if it presses the level

Any event following a response that will decrease the likelihood of the response occurring again

EG:- Being sent out of class for talking, talking

will become less likely in the future

- Your parents send you to your room without dinner for being naughty, you will be less likely to be naughty in the future

Another type of punishment (involved in punishment)

Reinforcement where a positive reinforcer is removed after a response

EG:- Parking tickets- Speeding fines- TV privileges

(Skinner box – operant conditioning) video02.mp4

(Thorndike – trial and error learning – type of operant conditioning) video03.mp4

In operant conditioning, it is more effective when reinforcement directly follows the desired response (refer to graph on page 300)

If there is a delay in the reinforcement, learning is less likely to occur therefore the chance of the response occurring again will not be increased

Refers to plans for determining which responses will be reinforced

Continuous reinforcement is when a reinforcer follows every correct response (not realistic under non-lab conditions)

Partial reinforcers do not follow every correct response (extinction is less likely to take place)

Fixed ratio: number of responses must be made before reinforcement

- EG: I give you a lollie for every 5 minutes you are quiet

Variable ratio: varied number of responses must be made before reinforcement

- EG: playing a poker machine – you don’t know how many dollars you will have to put in to be rewarded

Fixed interval: reinforcer given after response after a fixed amount of time

- EG: pedestrian button – light will only go green after a fixed amount of time after you press it

Variable interval: reinforcer given after correct response after a varied amount of time

- EG: fishing – you don’t know how long you will have to wait for the fish to bite

Bobo doll experiment – (observational learning) video01.mp4

Observational learning (modelling) processes: attention, retention, reproduction, motivation, reinforcement; Bandura’s experiments with observational learning in children

We learn by observation – but how does it occur?

- Learner pays attention to model- Learner perceives the model to be

interesting- Learner remembers what was done by the

model (retention)- Learner reproduces the behaviour

(reproduction)- Learner has motivation to repeat the task

Learning set and its influence on future learning

Is a positive transfer of information from a previous learning situation to a new learning situation

- EG: a driving simulator – a real car- EG: playing tennis – playing

badminton- EG: gymnastics – diving - EG: Sprinting – hurdles

Comparison of classical and operant conditioning, role of learner, timing of stimulus and response, nature of response (reflex/voluntary)

Role of learnerTiming of stimulus and responseNature of response

(reflexive/voluntary)

Task:- In your booklets you need to write up

a comparison of classical and operant conditioning

Ethical issues in conditioning behaviour including Watson’s ‘little Albert’ experiment

Little Albert experiment

Task:- Read focus on research Little Albert page

298- What are the ethical issues?- Why would this experiment not be

conducted today? There is a section in your booklets for these answers